Southern Railway tries out full AC trains this festival

CHENNAI: Southern Railway is trying out trains with special compositions based on travelling preferences of passengers on different routes during this festival season. After the all-unreserved special train recently run to Howrah was found to be a success, railways has now introduced an all-AC special train. The train is being operated between Chennai and Tirunelveli this week. The first service which left Chennai Central on Sunday received good response, railway officials said.

Internal studies have found that there is a huge demand for all AC trains from Chennai to Mumbai, Madurai, Ernakulam, Bangalore and Pune. "Travel requirements of people vary from one route to another. Travelling comfort comes secondary for people headed to West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar. All they need is a train. But those travelling to Mumbai, Pune and the southern towns of Tamil Nadu want a comfortable journey. Demand for airconditioned coaches is more on these routes. There is huge demand for AC compartments to these destinations," said a senior official of Southern Railway.

AC three-tier coaches are mostly preferred though they are expensive than sleeper class coaches. A special train comprising eight AC three-tier coaches and three AC two-tier coaches has been introduced between Chennai Central and Tirunelveli. "This is a trial. If the train is well received, we will send a proposal to regularise the service. Similarly, we are confident that an all-AC train to Mumbai will be well received. The preference is shifting from sleeper coaches to AC three-tier coaches on several routes. There is pressure to add more AC coaches in scheduled services," he added.

Passengers are ready to pay more and travel by AC coaches because the profile of travellers is changing and also the sleeper coaches are shabby. "Pests and dirt make travelling by sleeper coaches a hassle. I try to book in airconditioned coaches because their condition is relatively tolerable," says A Achuthan, a frequent traveller.

However, passenger interests are often compromised by the strait-jacketed policies of Indian Railways. A railway zone does not have the freedom to introduce a new train. It can try out special trains but will have to wait for the ministry's approval to make it a regular service. Shortage of coaches and saturated railway lines prevent consistent operation of specials. There is also a lack of consistency in policy. Airconditioned Garib Rath trains introduced by former minister Lalu Prasad Yadav were not continued with the same vigour by his successors.